Best available copx



BEST AVAILABLE com Dec. 7 1926. 1,609,316

R. B. SHOEMAKER EXAMINING AND RETOUCHING CABINET Filed April 1925 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 BEST'AVAILABLE COP:

Dec. 7 1926. R. B. SHOEMAKER EXAMINING AND RETOUCHING' CABINET Filed April 1925 2. Sheets-Sheet 2- BEST AVAILABLE COPv Patented Dec. 7, 1926.

UNITED STATES RAYMOND B. SHOEM'AKER, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

AND RETOUCHING- CABINET.

' a lication filed A ril 30, 1925. serial in. 26,923.

My invention relates particularly to means for facilitating the examination and retouching of photographic plates, pictnres, etc. The main object is to provide a construction 5 which isadapted to hold a plate in any position' convenient for the operator and provide proper illuminationfor-the same. 4

Another ob'ect is to provideconvenient means for a justing the intensity of the light transmitted through the plate. V Another object is to provide means for changing the point at which light is applied to the plate. up

Another object is to pr'ovidemeans for handling plates of diiferent sizes,

In the accompany two sheets of drawings I have illustrate one form of mechanism for carry' out all of these objects. In the preferred ormI provide a cabinet or box-like structure, preferably with an inclined front, in which is mounted one or moreadjustable plate-holders. Inside the box I provide an illuminating device such as an electric lamp together with means for decreasing or increasing the brilliancyof the light. Between the light and plateholder I rovide an adjustable diaphragm or curtain or regulating the position through which light is transmitted to the plate and the size of the transmitted beam of light.

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a cabinet embodying the improvements of my invention.

Fig. 2 is a vertical sectional view of the same.

3, 4, and 5 are front views of the various parts of the plate-holder.

Fig. 6 is a front view of the cabinet with the cover open.

Fi 7 is an enlarged detail sectional view showing the method of sup orting and operating one of the curtain ro lers.

Fig. 8 is adetail of one form of rheostat or switch.

Fig. 9 is a detailed view .of a transparent support for fihns. j

The body 10 of the cabinet may be formed of any suitable material and preferably has an inclined front for supporting the front plate or cover 11. This front plate is preferably hinged at 12 along its upper edge sothat it may be conveniently lifted for permitting access into the interior of the cabinet.

Inside of the cabinet I mount a source of light such as an electric light bulb 13. In front of this bulb I also prefer to provide a difiusingplate 14, for instance, of opal glass. This plate may be suitably supported in the cabinet and, if desired, may be adjustable forward andback on the supports 15. For

. the purpose of regulating the intensity of the light, I'prefer to provide a rheostat 18 of any suitable form having, for instance, switch arm or regulating member 17. This rheostat is preferably mounted in the body of the casing near one side and thccover is provided witha flexible or yielding strip 18, for instance, of rubber or leather which is slotted to allow the handle 17 of the switch to extend through, as shown in Fig. 1, when the cover is closed. This yielding strip permits the switch arm 17 to be moved up and down for regulating the light without leaving any hole through which light would pass adjacent the handle. 5

The opening in the cover is normally closed by a curtain 19, which has its opposite ends wound on the rollers 20 and 21. The edges of the curtain are guided between the layers 22, for instance, of fibre so as to hold the curtain fiat and yet allow it to be rolled back and forth on the rollers 20 and 21. This curtain is provided with a series of openings such as 23 and 24 of various sizes. This acts as a diaphragm so that dlfi'erentsizes of holes can be presented in order to regulate the size of the beam of light which is transmitted to the plate. This construction also permits the opening to be adjusted up and down or vertically to any desired position. The rollers 20 and 21 are mounted on the inside of the cover so that the curtain moves with the cover. For convenience in rotating the rollers I provide a shaft 25 and a handle 26. The swivel joint 27 permits the rotation of the shaft to be transmitted to the roller at an angle. The shaft may be supported in :r sleeve 28 in one edge of the cover 11. The fibre plates 22 and the curtain 19 may be reinforced and supported by cross-bars 29 in the back cover.

In the front of the cover I mount a slide 30 which may be supported in grooves 31 in any suitable manner so as to permit the slide to be moved from side to side of the cover. The holder 32 is rotatably supported in the slide 30, for instance, on shoulders 33 at the back of the slide 30. This holder 82 is provided with shoulders 34 adapted to supportthe corners'of a photographic plate or the like. I also "preferably provide an inner holder 35 which is adapted to be supported on the shoulders 36in 'theiopening in the holder This holder 35 is provided with shoulders 3.7 -.in :the corners :for supporting a smaller plate. These holders and the slide may be formed of any suitable material. I have found fibre to .be particularly useful in that it is sulliciently strong to withstand more -or less rough handling and heavy enough so thatit stays in position and is not easily .dislodged as- I c'idcntally. 'It isalsowell adapted'to stand considerable temperature changes without warping. For-convenience in picking out the plates from the -holders 35 and 82, I injay notchthe-edges-asshown by 38 and39. Similarly, the inner edges o'f-thecover 11 may be notched at 40 to tacilitate the engagement of'the edge'of the-slide 30 when it isat one side-or the other. The holder- 32 is provided with oppositely disposed spring clips "41 which are adapted to be seated asshownin Fig. 4-,or as shown'in Fig.1 so astolhold-the-plate 42-in-position. Itwill alsobe seen that the dimensions of the parts are such that the clips '41 can hold a "plate in position-on *the shoulders 34. For convenience in rotating the holder 32 Imay form recesses -or depressions 4:3 in its outer Sui-face.

The cover may be 'detachallly held "in place, for instance'by means-of the-catch 4%.

This apparatus is useful for retouching plates by *the-'0rdinary pencil or by powerdriven pencils or retouc'hing,-etoliing and blocking jout instruments such as are sometimes 'used. In "case a power-driven pencil is used, it is desirable to regulatethe speed and for that purpose *Irnay'provi'dean additional 'rheostatic-switch 45 wit-h a handle 46 i locatedconveniently adj acent -the "handle 17 so that' both the'intensity of; the lightand the speed of the retouching instrument are adjusted 'by similar -moven'1ents. These switches are preferably located at the left o'ztt-he cabinet so't-hatthey can lac-operated by the left hand-whilethe operator" is :working-on-a-plate-by theright hand, whic'lnot course, is'the 'more usualmethod-of operation. For-a left-handedOperatorgthe cabinet might be .provided 'with switches at the right hand side instead-10f at-the l'ift.

By the use of this apparatus it will be seen that various sizes of plates "may be handled. The plate can be 'readilyiiotated through any angle desired; it can be moved back' and Zforth from right-tolle'ft 'to bring the desired spot in'linewith the opening in the curt-ain 'and the curtainitself can be moved up" and down so as td bring the opening'opposite the-most convenient-spot on theplat-e, depending upon the circumstances down iit' desired.

By changing the intensity of the light .and making otheradjustments as herein set forth, it will be seen that the operator can obtain any and every eti'ect necessary for the most accurate work in the most couvenient manner.

In using the term photographic plate it should 'be understood that so far as my invention is concerned it is immaterial whether this-plate be apositiveor-negative. The material of which this plate is composed is -also unimportant as the invention is equally applicable to the retouching of flexible plates or films as we'll as glass plates.

While 'I prefer to use opal glass the diffuser 14 it should be understood that some grades of ground glass can be used instead although the efi ectis not quite as satisfactory as when opalglass is used.

It should also be understood that while glass is preferable :for'this diffuser satisfao tory results-may also be obtained front-the use of-material jhaving similar translucent and 'diflusing eharactcristics'such as certain grades wofcelhlloid, bakelite and the like.

ll'lyimproved apparatus makes it possible to retouch plates, =films, etc., without the necessity of {handling them in the process. It willbe understooclthz'rt thisis a considerable advantage when it is realized that ,frequently and especially in warm weather, any-perspiration or-theslightest amount of grease ;on the fingers is likely to leave an indelible mark-upon the sensitive emulsion.

It Y should ,also be understood 'that I have usedtheterin retouchingin the broad sense as including the blocking out, etching and filling in of back ground.

The apparatus may also be used for holding photographic plates or pictures commonly termed-i'a'diograplis and X-ray photographs. 'It enables the specialist to regulate the quantity and position of light to .the

finestdegree and also'makes it possibleto turn'the plate or picture about, so as tobi' ing it into the 'most convenient position {for minute examination.

\Vhen flexible plates or films are-used it will-usuallybe desirable to employ an inflexible transparent support, -for 'in st-a-ncebt glass,;and this support-may have'scales or charts etched -or printed to -faoilitate measurement or comparative locations of things seen "on thefilm.

Figi'9 shows such a support l? which may be of glass or othertra-usparent -material and provided with any suitable scale or scales. This support can be made to fit in the "frame32 or'in theframe'35, as desired,

and the film may be held in place by the spring clips 41.

I claim:

1. A plate cabinet comprising a body, a source of light Within said body, means for varying the intensity of the light Within said body, means for diitusing the light, a rotatable and transversely movable plateholder, and an adjustable diaphragm device located between the plate holder and said diffusing means.

2. A plate cabinet having a main body, a light-emitting means Within the body, a hinged cover, a plate-holder carried by the cover, a rheostat switch mounted in the body for regulating the amount of light, and having an adjusting handle adapted to project through the cover.

3. A plate cabinet comprising a body having light-emitting means, a cover for said body having a plate-holder, rollers carried by the upper and lower edges of said cover, a diaphragm curtain adapted to be Wound on said rollers, and handles projecting through the edges of said cover for rotating said rollers.

4. A plate cabinet comprising a body, a source of light enclosed therein, means for diffusing the light, an inclined transversely movable plate holder in front of said source of light and a diaphragm having series of openings mounted to move between said diffusing means and said plate holder.

5. Apparatus of the character described comprising a cabinet having an inclined front, a slide carried thereby and slidable across the front, a diaphragm behind the slide having a series of holes of different sizes, a plate carried rotatably mounted in said slide and a lamp inside said cabinet.

6. A cabinet comprising a body, a cover hinged at its upper edge to said body, a diaphragm carried by said cover, said cover having transversely extending guide ways,

and a plate-holding slide movable in said guide Ways.

r. A cabinet comprising a body, a cover supported thereby, rollers carried by said cover, a diaphragm curtain carried by said rollers and having a series of openings of diflerent sizes, an electric lamp mounted in said cabinet behind said curtain, guides SEST AVAlLABLE COP. 3

for said curtain, and a plate holder removably mounted in front of said curtain.

8. A plate cabinet having a main body, an electric lamp Within the body, a cover, an adjustable plate-holder carried by the cover, a rheostat for regulating the intensity of the light from said lamp, a handle for said rheostat projecting outside of said cabinet, a diaphragm, and an adjusting handle for said diaphragm projecting from the cover.

9. A plate cabinet comprising a body having light-emitting means, a cover for said body having a rotatable and slidable plateholder, a diaphragm curtain carried by said cover, and a handle projecting from the edge of said cover for moving said curtain.

10. A cabinet including a movable diaphragm, a slide, supporting means for said diaphragm and for said slide, said diaphragm and slide being movable in directions at right angles to each =other, a plate holder carried by and movable With said slide, and a source of light behind said dia phragm.

11. Apparatus of the character described comprising a cabinet having an inclined front, a diaphragm curtain adjustable inside the front of said cabinet, a rotatable and transversely movable plate holder supported in front of said curtain, and a lamp inside said cabinet behind said curtain.

12. A cabinet having a hinged cover, a movable diaphragm carried thereby, a transversely movable slide carried by said cover in front of said diaphragm, and a holder rotatably mounted in said slide.

13. A plate cabinet having a lamp, an adjustable plate holder in front thereof, a cover for said cabinet serving to support said plate holder and an adjustable rheostat Within said cabinet having an operating member extending through the cover for controlling the speed of a retouching instrument.

14. A cabinet having a hinged cover, a movable diaphragm carried thereby, a transversely movable slide carried by said cover in front of said diaphragm, a holder rotatably mounted in said slide, and a smaller plate holder detachably mounted in said rotatable holder.

RAYMOND B. SHOEMAKER. 

